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Sunday, August 13, 2017

Easy Vegan Alternatives

I get asked all the time about certain animal products and how I "live" without them. Well, I survive quite nicely thank you ;)

I just choose some bomb alternatives that are cruelty-free instead! :)

So I decided to compile the TOP foods people ask me about.

1. Instead of Cow's Milk...try almond, soy, cashew, coconut milks or go crazy and get a blend! My favorite is the almond coconut milk blend by Silk. It's SO GOOD!! I love having this in smoothies, but it's also great in cereals, granola, and cooking!

2. Instead of Ground Beef...go beefless with lentils, mushrooms, Beyond Beef crumbles, or the Gardein brand Meatless ground. There are so many brands out there, but Beyond Beef is bar far my favorite! I linked recipes for each so you can have an example of each food and how it can be used as a "meat alternative."

3. Instead of Parmesan Cheese....please do yourself a favor and grab Nutritional yeast next time you're grocery shopping! You'll thank me later ;) I put it on EVERYTHING!! It's incredible, great for you, and a decent cheese alternative for toppings. I love putting it on top of my amazing home made tomato sauce over zoodles or squash noodles! I also love the Go Veggie brand...you literally can't tell the difference--it tastes EXACTLY like parmesan cheese!

5. I still don't understand the massive need for an abundance of Butter. It's in EVERYTHING! I recently went on a cruise and I asked if every dish was dairy free. Then I proceeded to ask if it had butter...because 9 times out of 10 they said it did! Dude, butter is dairy. How about you use coconut, avocado, or olive oil instead? If that doesn't float your boat, there are vegan butter brands out there!

6. Chicken. This is not hard to imitate apparently because Beyond Chicken NAILED IT!! Their strips are amazing to put on top of salads, I'm obsessed! You can also season your tofu properly and make some incredible alternatives! :) I love tofu scrambles!

Other alternatives: instead of honey, use agave or maple syrup. Instead of using eggs for baking, try mashed ripe bananas, the vegan egg, or applesauce. Instead of pulled pork, try jackfruit! Instead of whipped cream, make your own coconut cream! Instead of ice cream, try Nada Moo (THE best non-dairy ice cream I've tried!) or even Ben and Jerry's Dairy Free ice cream!

There are SO many options, WHEREVER you are, especially with all the new brands out nowadays! Where there's a will, there's a way! :)

If this helped, I'd be so appreciative if you shared it with some transitioning vegans, or anyone who enjoys cooking plant-based!! Let's spread that plant power love!!